Process of obtaining metals, &amp;c., soluble in alkalis.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV SPITZ, OF BBtlNN, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO GOLDSCHMIDTDETINNING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, 11'. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF OBTAINING METALS, &o., SOLUBLE IN ALKALIS.

No Drawing. Application filed April 21 T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV Srrrz, manager, a citizen of Austria-Hungary,residmg at Briinn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary,

removing from their impure compounds or mixtures the following metals:tin, zinc, lead, copper, iron,antimony, bismuth, silver, nickel, cobaltandresidue thereof. From these materials their alkaline compounds can beprocured directly, for example from impure tin, stannate of soda (a'salt used in color preparation); from this solution,-by precipitationwith acids (for example CO 80,, NaHCO,) I may obtain tin oxid: from thistin oxid, by solution in HCl, SnCl and SnCl by reduction with carbon,pure tin. As alkaline solutions I preferab ly employ caustic soda orsulfid of sodium, or other similar acting reagents. To the alkalinesolutions thus obtained, I add oxidizing agents, such-assaltpeter,dioxid of manganese or potassium chromate, and then obtainfrom. the oxidized solution the metal or metallic compound. This may bedone by evaporating the solution after the impurities have been removed,or the metallic oxids may be precipitated by an acid, and the pure metalobtained by reduction or electrolytically.

The amount and concentration of the alkaline solution depend upon themetal, or

compound to be treated. The concentra- 'tion must be such as to allowthe metallic compound produced to be completely dissolved.

Assume that it is required to heat a mixture or compound or an impuremetal con- Speclflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

, 1908. Serial No. 428.438.

taining tin, zinc, lead, iron and copper.

The chemical formulae are the following:

Sn+NaOH=Na,SnO,- i-H Zn-i-QNaOH=Na.,ZnO,l-H Pb-l-ZNaOH -NaflbOfi-H Theiron and copper are not dissolved,

but remain, perhaps as a lower oxid, in the slimes. In order to nullifythe action of the hydrogen, and assist the operation, oxidizingmaterials are now added.

Taking tin as an example, the reaction is shown by the followingformulae:

The solution employed in treating the metal-containing substance orsubstances should have a temperature of 100 C. or

is obtained tin, zinc, and lead in solution.

as the corresponding sodium compounds.

Iron and copper are dissolved as slime.

Zinc and lead are removed from the solution, for example, by means ofsodium sulfite, and the tin, as stated above, either as such, or in anyform of combination free from other heavy metals. The iron and copperand any stray particles of the other metals may be recovered from theslime, by means of the-proper reagent.

Having thus fully described my improved process, what I claim is 1. Aprocess of obtaining valuable metals or metallic compounds soluble inalkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists in subjectingsuch a substance to the action of an alkaline solution atsuperatmospheric pressure, and then treating the resulting solution toobtain the valuable metals or compounds.

2. A process of obtaining valuable metals or metallic compounds solublein alkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists in subjectinsuch a substance to the action of an alka me solution at a pres- 'sureof 7 to atmospheres, and then treating the resulting solution to obtainthe valu able metals or compounds.

3. A process of obtainingvaluable metals or metallic compounds solublein alkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists in subjectinsuch a substance to the action of an alkallne solution at asuperatmospheric pressure and temperature of over 100 0., and thentreatin the resulting solution to obtain the valufiile'metals orcompounds.

4. A process of obtaining valuable metals or metallic compounds solublein alkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists insubjecting such a substance to the action of a hot alkaline solution ata pressure of 7 to 15 atmospheres, and then treating the resultingsolution to obtain the valuable metals or compounds.

5. A process of obtaining valuable metals or metallic compounds solublein alkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists insubjecting such a. substance to theaction of an alkaline solution havinga temperature of over 100 C. at a pressure of 7 to 15 atmospheres, andthen treating 'perature of over 100 6. A process of obtaining valuablemetals or metallic compounds soluble in alkalis from metal-containingsubstances, which consists in subjecting such a substance in thepresence of an ox dizing material to the action of an alkaline solutionat a pressure of 7 to 15 atmospheres, and then treating the resultingsolution to obtain the valuable metals or compounds. 1

7. A process of obtaining valuable metals or metallic compounds solublein alkalis from metal-containing substances, which consists insubjecting such a substance in the presence of an oxldizing materialtothe action of an alkaline solution having a tem-. C. at a pressure of7 to 15 atmospheres, and then treating the resulting solution to obtainthe valuable metals or compounds.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV SPITZ.

Witnesses: Mom'rz SCHMOLKAY,

LnoPou) DRDA'CVIJ.

